Railroad-gate.



No. 893,683, PATENTED JULY 21,1908.

L. A. WHEELOOK.

RAILROAD GATE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1907.

3 SHEETS-$HEET 1.

No. 893,683. PATENTED JULY 21,1908.

' L. A. WHEELOGK.

RAILROAD GATE.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 20,1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

[NVE/VTOR 543 726620075.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS A. WI-IEELOOK, OF WASEOA, MINNESOTA.

RAILROAD-GATE.

Application filed July 20, 1907.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIs A. WHEELOOK, citizen of the United States, residing at VVaseca, in the county of Waseca and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gates, and more particularly to railroad gates, and has for its object to provide a gate operable by a train passing over the track, the operating mechanism being constructed and arranged to relieve the parts of sudden stress.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and it will be understood that changes in the speci'fic structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1. is a top plan of the operating mechanism Fig. 2 is an elevational view of one of the gates and the operating mechanism Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through one of the sliding members and the base plate; Fig. 4 is a transverse section on line 4 1 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the resent invention comprises two longitudinal y slidable members 5, disposed in parallel relation longitudinally of and below the level of a railroad track 6, each of the members being mounted upon a base plate 7, these members being connected by a cross bar Z.

Spaced airs of blocks 8 are mounted upon the base -p ates at opposite sides of the mem bers 5, these blocks thus forming guides in which the members are movable, and bridge pieces 9 are secured upon the blocks and extend across the members. These blocks and bridge pieces are located adjacent to one end of their respective members and between the blocks 8 at one side of each member 5, there is secured upon the base plate a block 10, upon which is pivoted a lever 11 extending inwardly over the adjacent member 5, it being understood that these members are located outwardly of the tracks.

Swinging gates 12 are located at opposite sides of the track and carry lateral arms 13 connected by means of links 14 with the outer ends of the levers 11 and movement of these levers thus results in movement of the gates.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1908.

Serial No. 384,838.

Secured upon each member 5, at opposite sides of the bridge pieces 9 there are a pair of upwardly extending blocks 15 disposed to engage the bridge pieces, and thus limit the movement of the members. Helical springs 16 are secured to the blocks 15 at their outer ends, and at their inner ends these springs are secured to the inner end of the lever 11, the members 5 being thus connected with their respective levers 11 for movement of these levers, while being susceptible of initial movement independently of the levers. The arrangement is such that when the members 5 are moved to one limit of movement, the gates 12 are in closed position, while movement of the members to the opposite limit brings the gates into open position.

Each member 5 has a vertical elongated passage 16 formed therethrough and a pair of longitudinally spaced depressions 17 and 18 respectively are formed in the base plate beneath the member in such position that the passage 16 is registered therewith alternately, as the member is moved to opposite limits of its movement.

A strap spring 19 has one end disposed upon the upper face of the member 5, it be ing understood that such a spring is provided for each member, outwardly of the recess 16, and is held in position by a longitudinally extending guide block 20 secured'upon the member. This strap spring 19 is bent downwardly between its ends to present a concave surface projecting normally below the member 5 and is thus arranged to enter the depressions 17 and 18 to act as a detent holding the member yieldablyin either of its positions. Between its ends, each of the guide blocks 20 is cut away at-its under surface, to form a transverse guide passage 21 between the guide block and the member 5 and laterally extending fingers 22 carried by a cross bar Z secured to shift rods 23 are slidably engaged in these guide passages. The shift rods 23 extend longitudinally between the members 5 and are slidab ly mounted. as shown.

An operating lever 24 is mounted at its lower end adjacent to the track, upon a suit able support 25, to which it is pivoted, and is connected with one of the shift rods 23 by means of a link 26 bifurcated at its ends to I I be understood that by reason of the bar Z which is Secured to both shift rods 28, these shift rods are simultaneously moved when the lever 24 is operated.

The lever 24 is disposed in position for engagement by a suitable operating member carried by the rolling stock for movement of the lever by a passing train. To reduce the sudden stress of operation, helical springsare secured to the lever 24 and to suitable anchors 28, these springs being indicated at 29, as shown.

As will be readily understood, the present mechanism is designed to be duplicated for operation by trains approaching from either direction.

What is claimed is: v

1. In a gate operating mechanism, the combination with a gate, of a longitudinally slidable member, operative connections between the member and the gate, a guide having a passage therein secured to the member, a slidable shift rod, a finger connected with the shift rod for movement therewith and engaged in the passage for movement therein longitudinally of the sliding member, and means for holding the shift rod yieldably against movement in either direction and means for moving the shift rod.

2. In a gate operating mechanism, the combination with a longitudinally slidable member, of guides for said member, members secured to the first named member at opposite sides of the guides and arranged for engagement of said guides to limit the movement of the member, a pivoted lever, springs connected with the lever and with the members which are arranged for engagement of the guides, and a detent arranged to hold the sliding member yieldably at either limit of its movement.

3. In a gate operating mechanism, the combination with a sliding member having an opening therein, of a recessed plate located beneath the member for registration of its opening with the recesses, a block secured upon the member, and a spring engaged between the member and the block and extending downwardly through the opening for engagement in the recesses.

.4. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination with a longitudinally movable member, of a pivoted lever, elastic connections between the lever and the member, said connections being arranged for movement of the lever by the member, and for initial movement of the member independently of the lever, a gate mounted for swinging movement, a detent arranged to hold the member yieldably with the gate at times in closed position and at times in open position, a slidable shift rod, a finger connected with the shift rod for movement therewith, means carried by the sliding longitudinally movable member, and lying in the path of movement of the finger to limit the movement thereof with respect to the member, means for holding the shift rod yieldably against movement and means for moving the shiftrod.

In testimony whereof he aHiXes his signature, in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS A. WHEELOOK.

Witnesses:

A. S. MALONEY, A. MCDONALD. 

